The One With Rachel's Choice
by x-iccle-amy-x
Summary: Set at the start of the 10th Season. Joey and Rachel have just started a relationship. How will Ross take it? Is Joey better for her than the father of her child? My 1st fanfic.
1. Chapter 1 Joey's The One

Rachel's Choice

Chapter 1 - Joey's The One

The holiday had been amazing. Barbados was one of the most fantastic places she'd ever been to. Despite the boring paleontological speeches and Monica's seriously bad-hair dilemma, the holiday had been a complete success. However, for Rachel, the best thing about the holiday by far; was discovering a completely different side of Joey. To Rachel, Joey was no longer her rather innocent yet somewhat sex-mad friend. Joey was now the most caring guy she'd ever come to know. Little did she think that she'd ever feel this way about him; she found it increasingly difficult to think of Joey as Chandler's ex-roommate, as the same Joey who used to walk over to the apartment she shared with Monica to fetch pizza or beer from the fridge. The Joey she knew now, the Joey who was her room-mate; was someone new and very exciting. The only problem was Ross. He knew that Joey liked her, but how would he react when he found out that Rachel felt the same way about Joey?

Rachel had just finished unpacking, totally disappointed that it meant her time in Barbados was totally over. She dreamt of returning once more.

"Hey beautiful" Joey cooed, entering their apartment.

Rachel smiled in response. She wanted to kiss him, but she couldn't. They owed it to Ross to tell him first.

"When's Ross dropping Emma off?" Joey asked, genuinely missing the baby girl.

"Any minute now" Rachel assured him.

She found the fact that Joey loved Emma almost as much as she did, so sweet. Sure enough, when Ross walked through the door five minutes later, pushing Emma in his wake; it was Joey who was the first to greet them.

"Ross, sit down?" Rachel asked, indicating to the seat next to her.

Ross did, wandering what the matter was. Joey, after fetching a doughnut from the fridge, sat on his favourite recliner chair.

"Joey and I have something we need to tell you." Rachel said.

"We do?" enquired Joey. "... Oh yeah. We do." He exclaimed after a few moments silence.

Ross egged them on, eager to find out what could be so serious.

"Joey and I are... er ... dating." Rachel said, bracing herself for Ross' response.

"WHAT!" Ross yelled.

"Ross, relax man." Joey said, oblivious to the smudge of doughnut jam on his cheek. "It'll be ok. You've got Charlie, I've got Rach. We'll be like the four musketeers."

"There are usually three musketeers Joe." Rachel informed him.

Ross claimed that he had to go; he needed to get his head around the idea of Joey and Rachel. How could it have come down to this? It was Ross and Rachel; not Joey and Rachel. He and Rachel had a child together, had the most intense history but it seemed like that was all for nothing. Sure, he did have Charlie, but would she really fill the void that Rachel had left behind.


	2. Chapter 2 Ross’ Jealousy

Rachel's Choice

Ross' Jealousy

Joey and Rachel needed a lot of time to be able to get used to the idea of being more than just friends. Now That Ross knew about them, there was no one else in the gang to tell. Joey was ecstatic now that he finally had the only girl he ever loved. Right now, with Rachel cuddling up to him on the Central Perc's sofa he had the biggest smile his face had ever held. Little Emma was fast asleep in her pushchair, content with being in her mother's presence.

"Gunther! Can I have a blueberry muffin please?" Joey called out.

"Oh sure." Gunther muttered under his breath. "You got Rachel, a blueberry muffin ... you want a coffee as well?"

"Oh, and a coffee for Rachel please." Joey added.

Gunther disappeared into the kitchen evidently furious, but emerged a few moments later carrying Joey's order.

Chandler, Monica, Phoebe and Ross walked into the coffee shop laughing over something they saw outside.

"I ... I've got a convention to go to." Ross muttered.

Joey took his arm from around Rachel and got up to stop Ross.

"Is this a real conven – thing, or are you going because of us." He asked

"Convention" Ross corrected.

Joey urged him to forget about his 'conven-thing' and stay. Ross grudgingly agreed and went to buy everyone a drink.

"So are you two ... like... official?" Phoebe asked.

Joey and Rachel nodded, smiling. Ross returned, handing out what he bought.

It was Phoebe's slot to sing in the coffee shop, so she got up with her guitar and proclaimed that her latest song was about a new love.

"Step over Chandler and Monica,

Joey and Rachel have shacked up too,

When friends get together,

It's always Ross who doesn't have a clue."

Ross' glaring look made Phoebe quickly change the song. She began to sing her favourite, "Smelly Cat."

When you fall in love you can never keep your hands off each other, but every time Joey and Rachel cuddled up closer or held each other's hands tighter, Ross almost turned green with pure envy. He wanted Charlie here. He needed Charlie here. It was so typical that she was working right now. Sure, Joey and Rachel weren't making it blindly obvious and hadn't kissed once in Ross' presence but Ross knew Rachel. He knew how Rachel buried herself further into her loved-one's chest when she particularly happy, he'd seen her smile that way at his jokes once. Ross couldn't deny that it hurt, she was meant to be his Rachel not Joey's. He knew that he'd have to put all his efforts into Charlie, and yes, of course he liked Charlie, he liked her very much. He'd never seen Joey this happy before, so anything making his best friend this happy surely should make him happy too. Even to Ross, Joey and Rachel seemed an almost perfect match.

A while later the coffee shop's door opened. Charlie entered and walked up to Ross and sat on his lap.

"Hey." Ross said kissing her lightly. He couldn't remember ever being this glad to see someone.

Rachel, watching Ross cuddle up to Charlie found a green monster of her own start to creep up. Rachel had seen many of Ross' girlfriends come and go, but none had been so compatible with him than Charlie. She'd thought that Ross would always hold a place in his heart for her, but maybe, with Charlie now on the scene, she'd be faded out of the picture. At least she still had Joey, she thought, kissing him passionately in a bid to get rid of the jealousy emerging inside her.


	3. Chapter 3 Ross Tells Rachel

Rachel's Choice

Chapter 3 – Ross Tells Rachel

The six of them, and Charlie, were all in Monica and Chandler's. Whenever Rachel was here it reminded her of her time there with Monica. For some reason it also reminded her of Ross; after all when she and Ross were dating he spent nearly as many nights in her room as she did. Phoebe was sitting on the floor, strumming away on her guitar. Joey, Rachel and Chandler were sitting on the sofa acting as Phoebe's audience as Monica, Ross and Charlie all sat around Monica's small kitchen table.

"So" Monica began, searching for a conversation starter. "How are things going with you two?"

"Pretty good." Ross claimed. "Taking it slowly."

Charlie left, stating that she had family coming to visit soon. Monica urged Ross for a truthful answer now that Charlie was gone.

"Charlie's really sweet, and I do like her. But ..." Ross cut of, unsure of how to finish his sentence.

"But she's not Rachel." Monica suggested.

Ross didn't want to say that it was true even though he knew it was. He remained silent.

"For god sake, tell Rachel how you feel." Monica sighed. "Her being with Joey is slowly killing you inside!"

Monica did have a knack for exaggeration, but she was right. Rachel had to know.

It wasn't until two days later did the opportunity arise for Ross to tell her. Rachel knocked on Ross' apartment, dropping Emma off to stay with her father for a while.

"Joey's not going to be impressed that she's staying here tonight." Rachel laughed. "He loves Emma so much."

Ross laughed nervously, taking his daughter in his arms.

"Rach, about you and Joey..." Ross began.

Rachel sighed; she guessed what he was going to say next.

"I just ... just. It's hard to see you two together you know. You and I, well we've always been on and off, on and off; I just figured that one day, we'd end up being on again." He felt relieved to have it off his chest.

"Ross, I know it must be hard. But do you know how long it's been since we were 'on' last?" Rachel asked.

Ross paused for a moment to work it out, he'd never even thought about that before.

"Five ... no, six years. God has it really been that long?" Ross couldn't believe the reality of it.

Rachel nodded. She told him that they'd always be the best of friends, but that maybe now was the moment where they finally put the past behind them and truly began to feel happy for each other. Ross agreed, comforted a little by that thought. It was true, it was about time he got over his high school crush and actually felt happy for Rachel; after all he could end up being very happy with Charlie. Rachel took Emma from Ross and cradled her till she fell asleep.

"You know, you and Charlie look great together." Rachel assured him.

Ross smiled. Rachel said that she'd better go and headed for the door.

"Rach ... Emma?" Ross enquired as Rachel was about to step over the threshold.

"Oh, yeah." She laughed, handing over the sleeping infant.

All the way home, Rachel's mind was buzzing with thoughts. Sure, she too had thought that she and Ross would end up together again in the future. Though things were very different now, Joey and 

Charlie were in the picture blurring out any possibility of 'Ross and Rachel' ever being 'on' again and Rachel was unsure whether she liked that idea or not.


End file.
